Just in time for Halloween, alt-rock sorcerers UVWAYS are back with their highly anticipated new album, Chasing The Rat, which dropped on September 27th via Splitter Records. This eclectic supergroup, featuring Robby Staebler on drums (formerly of All Them Witches), bassist Elad Shapiro, pro-skater Evan Smith on vocals, and Allan Van Cleave on keys, blends gritty alternative rock with hip-hop beats, meditative soundscapes, and cosmic flair.
Staebler, who left All Them Witches earlier this year, is now fully committed to UVWAYS and the immersive experience they’re creating. Evan Smith captures the ominous spirit of the lead single “Locust,” saying, “Open the sky and let the sun do its job. Hide the truth in a bees’ nest, and it’ll never get out. When locusts rise, famine will destroy the population.”
With influences ranging from The Prodigy and Cypress Hill to Jane’s Addiction and Nine Inch Nails, Chasing The Rat is a kaleidoscope of nightmarish genres and textures. “Twelve seasons of recording from East to West made this album meditative, trance-like, and packed with texture,” says Staebler, whose experimental instincts drive the band’s sound.
UVWAYS released their debut LP, Moses Lynx, in 2020, but Chasing The Rat is set to take their sonic journey to new heights. Fans of the dark stoner blues of All Them Witches may be surprised by UVWAYS’ record. The blues is replaced with a cybernetic dread that is both seductive and daring.
While Chasing The Rat doesn’t sound much like ATW, fans will be familiar with the hauntingly beautiful artwork on the band’s cover art, music videos, and merch. In addition to being the drummer for ATW, Staebler was the band’s primary visual artist, creating the signature psych-horror images for which the band became known.
As I mentioned, UVWAYS sounds different than ATW, so getting used to it might take some time. But repeated listens bring new joys in the strange industrial soundscapes of Chasing The Rat. If you like NIN and experimental/industrial rock that borders on alt-rock, this one should be up your alley. Enjoy!
Check out Chasing The Rat by UVWAYS on Bandcamp here.
UVWAYS: Bandcamp | Official Website | Instagram
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